1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing processed soft shelled turtles and their eggs for nutrient food.
2. Related Art
Heretofore, many methods of manufacturing soft shelled turtle extract, processed soft shelled turtle, or eggs of soft shelled turtles as nutrient food have been proposed wherein degradation and decomposition of the various components of the starting material can be avoided. Such components include the cartilage and egg shell which include ingredients such as calcium, vitamins, and the like which are suitable for nutrient food as shown in Table I.
Table I ______________________________________ Soft Shelled Soft Shelled Turtle*.sup.1 Turtle Eggs*.sup.2 Ingredients (100 g) (100 g) ______________________________________ Calcium 870 mg 200 mg Phosphorus 500 mg -- Iron 5 mg 5.1 mg Sodium 95 mg -- Potassium 190 mg -- Vitamin A Retinol 27 .mu.g 50 .mu.g Carotene -- 5 .mu.g Vitamin A I.U. 90 170 Vitamin B1 0.75 mg 0.02 mg Vitamin B2 0.65 mg 0.33 mg Niacin 3 g -- Vitamin C 1 mg -- Vitamin E -- 2.6 mg Choline -- 190 mg Lecithin -- 530 mg ______________________________________ *.sup.1 The soft shelled turtle includes the cartilage. *.sup.2 The soft shelled turtle eggs include the egg shells.
For example, a method for manufacturing soft shelled turtle extract is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application First Publication, No. 52695/87. The method includes the steps of soaking living soft shelled turtles in dilute alcohol (low-grade spirits), and adding ginseng, honey, and the like. In Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. 32199/87, a method for manufacturing processed soft shelled turtle is described. The raw material is prepared by cutting the flesh, shell, and the like of a soft shelled turtle into pieces, then frying the material thus obtained. The products mentioned above are purported to be beneficial due to ascribed salutary effects of the component ingredients.
Although the entire adult turtle is employed in manufacturing the above products, only a minimal quantity of the desired materials is obtained. The maceration and trituration process also requires a considerable length of time.
Soft shelled turtle eggs are also known to contain many of the desired components as nutrient food contained in the flesh of the adult soft shelled turtle, as shown in Table I. However, the eggs are not available throughout the year, as the soft shelled turtle's egg laying period is generally limited to about 6 months out of the year. Thus, a method to provide the soft shelled turtle egg extract or processed soft shelled turtle egg at all times is desirable.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a method for manufacturing processed soft shelled turtles and their eggs while avoiding denaturation of the various component ingredients. By this means, nutrient food including the processed eggs as well as processed soft shelled turtle can be made available throughout the year.